Folding ottoman



Filed June 3, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 William 0. Dooley INVENTOR.

M4061"- BY W 2.5%

W. D. DOOLEY FOLDING OTTOMAN Dec. 5, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 3, 1959 Will/hm 0. Dooley 1N VENTOR. BY 2mm 3,011,181 FOLDING OTTOMAN William D. Dooley, 1791 Center Blvd., Springfield, Ohio,

assignor of five percent to William J. Naughton, Hempstead, N.Y. Filed June 3, 1959, Ser. No. 817,802 4 Claims. (Cl. ---111) This invention relates to articles of furniture,,bedding and the like and more particularly to a folding ottoman.

An object of the invention is to provide a folding ottoman wherein a single one-piece mattress is capable of being double folded when the ottoman is folded in contrast to multi-piec'e mattresses currently used in other ottoman structures. When the ottoman is in the closed position and covered, it is well suited to be used'as a seat or foot ottoman.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanically simplified folding ottoman of a unique design wherein the sections of the main frame are comparatively easily moved between the folded and unfolded positions without separating the mattress therefrom and without resorting to a multi-piece mattress.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details-of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is at top view of the folding ottoman in the open position. i

FIGURE 2 is a sideview of the ottoman in FIGURE 1. FIGURE 3 is a side view of the ottoman showing it partially folded.

FIGURE 4 is a side view of-thc ottoman in the folded position with the legs elevated.

' FIGURE 5 is an end view of the ottoman in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a side view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the legs in the collapsed position.

In the accompanying drawings there is a folding ottoman 10 to exemplify the principles of the invention. The folding ottoman uses a one-piece mattress 12 whose dimensions will vary in accordance with the size of the ottoman. A typical configuration employs a one-piece mattress which is 29 by 78 by 6 inches whereas other ottomans that are currently commercially available require two pieces or more for proper folding.

Ottoman 10 is constructed of a main frame having three sections 16, 18 and 20 supporting a foldable spring 17. Frame 14 has an intermediate section 16, and articulated end sections 18 and 20. End section 18 is shorter than end section 20, otherwise the sections are essentially the same. Section 18 is U-shaped and preferably made of angle side members 22 and 24 together with an angle end member 26. Section 20 is also preferably made of angle members including sides 28 and 30 together with end member 32. The center section 16 is made of angle side members 34 and 36 rigidly joined together by means of transverse brace 38 which is secured at its ends to sides 34 and 36. I

A leg base 40 is pivotally connected to center section 16. The leg base has crossed legs 42 and 44 on one side and crossed legs 44 and 46 on the other side. Pivots 48 and 50 connect the crossed legs at the crossing point, and there are wheels 52 at the lower extremities of each of the crossed legs. A pair of springs 56 and 58 are attached to transverse leg braces 60 and 62 which are joined to opposing legs near the wheels 52 thereof. The upper ends of the legs have pins 66 connected therewith and these are mounted in slots 68 near the ends of sides 34 and 36 to allow a limited amount of translatory motion of the upper ends of the legs with respect to center section 16.

'Latch 70 is mechanically connected to the sides of 55- tion 16 and is engageable with the pins 48 and 50 tohold the legs in the collapsed position (FIGURE 6). Lamb 70 is constructedof a push bar 72, preferably foot actuated, whose ends are secured to-pivoted latch members 74 and 76 pivotally connected by pins 78 to the sides 34 and 36 of section 16. Identical springs 80 and 82 on opposite sides of section 16 are attached to brackets 84 on the sides 34 and 36 and to the upper ends of the latch members 74 and 76. 'Each latch member hasa locking slot 88 which is engageable with the pivots or pivot pins 50 and 48 thereby releasably holding the legs in the lowered position and against the yielding opposition of the stretched springs 56 and 58. To release the legs, bar 72 is merely raised thereby enabling thesprings 56 and 58 to draw the lower ends of the crossed legs together whereby'the frame 14 and everything supported by it is elevated to the position shown in FIGURE 4. v Returning to the main frame 14, note that the end sections 18 and 20are each articulated. FIGURE 3 shows the first stage in collapsing the frame 14 and illustrates the articulated nature of section 18. The sides 22 and 24 are each made in two pieces. Accordingly, side 22 has an inner parti19 and an outer part 21 while side 24 has an inner part 23 and an outer part 25. Parts 23' and 19 are connected together by brace 37, and the, inner extremities of these parts are connected by pivot pins 90 to the extremities' of sides 34 and 36. These extremities fit'underneath the sides 34 and 36 to bind thereagainst when they are parallel. Pivot pins 92 connect parts 19 and 21, and identical pivot pins 94 connect parts 23 and 25 which are 1 maintained parallel when in the position shown in FIG- URE 2 by legs 100. It is important to note the feature of maintaining the bed horizontally and securing legs 42 and 44 in the raised position. The end of part 19 comes in direct contact with the outer edge of leg 42. Pin 66 is in contact with the inner edge of slot 68. Hence, leg 42 is locked so that legbase 40 cannot articulate to a collapsed position. Legs are pivoted by pins 102 on opposite parts 21 and 25 of section 18, and the legs are joined together by means of a transverse brace (not shown). Pivots 102 are near but spaced from the upper ends of legs 100 and the actual extremities of these legs are pivoted to identical links 104 and 106 on opposite sides of frame 14. These links are also pivoted by pins 108 to the parts 19 and 23 so that when section 18 is elevated the legs swing to a position parallel to parts 21 and 25. 'Locking rod 110 engages behind stop 112 to hold the outer portion of section 18 in place and also hold the legs in the position shown in FIGURE 3. Locking rod 110i-s pivoted to one end to side 34 of the center section and has an angulated end fitting behind stop 12 which is carried by the lower surface of part 21. Byhaving the sections articulate, it is evident from an inspection of FIGURE 3 that the innermost portion of each articulated out section provides room for the mattress 12 to be folded without having to resort to sectional mattresses.

Section 20 is constructed identical to section 18 and therefore a detailed description of the parts is deemed unnecessary. The only difference between sections 18 and 20 is that the inner articulated portion or; part 118 of section 20 is longer than the corresponding part of section 18, and the same holds true for the outer part of section 20. It is longer than the corresponding part of section 18 so that section will be capable of folding overtop of section 18 as shown in FIGURES 4 and 6. 'Locking rod 124 is identical in function to locking rod 110 except, here again, it is longer. Links 128 and 130 which connect the inner and outer parts of the sections to each other and which are engaged between the sides of the articulated sections function identically.

When the position shown in FIGURE 6 is achieved a ,Fatented Dec. 1961 3 "locking'hook 134 at the end of pivoted hanger 136 on transverse "brace 37, is engaged in-a'member l33having an eye. The member 138 is attached to the outer end of section 20 in order to hold the ottoman in the completely Pfolded condition.

The foregoingis considered as illustrative "only of the,

.jingframe, pivoted support means connected to the outer ends of each end section for supporting the end of the end sections, a supporting leg assembly connected to the intermediate section, said assembly including a pair of crossed legs at each side of the intermediate section, pivot means pivotally interconnecting the legs at their point of intersection, the upper ends of the legs being movably connected to the intermediate section, spring means urging the upper ends of the legs towards 'each other for elevating the intermediate section, and means mounted on the intermediate section and engageable with the leg members for retaining the leg members in depressed condition with the with the upper ends of the leg members to prevent out- 'Wfil'd movement of the upper ends of the'leg members ends thereof in remote relation, said end sectionsincluding 30 an extending inner end for movement intoengagement when the sections'are in alignment.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 together With a removable connector between the outer end of one end section and an inner end portion-ofthe other end section for retaining the end sectionsinsuperposed foldedrelation.

3. The structure as definedin claim 2 wherein each end section includes an inner member and an outermember articulately interconnected With the inner member being shorter than the outer member, the inner and outer members on one end section being shorter than the inner and outer membersof the other end section whereby the-end sections are nested when in folded relation.

'4. The structure as defined in claim 3 together with means interconnecting the intermediate section and one of the end sections for retaining the end section in parallel relation to the intermediate section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 153,665 Coates Aug. 4, 1874 1,896,288 Coopersmith Feb. 7, 1933 2,203,398 Weinman June 4, 1940 2,5l3,167 'Gottlieb June 27, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 481,265 .Fr-ance Aug. 26,1916 

